Before the collapse: Photos purport to show Elliot Lake mall's state of disrepair prior to tragic cave-in

Elliot Lake mall photo album purports to show building's state of repair before collapse

The roof collapse at the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake brought the building’s problems to a new, tragic scale Saturday, but, judging from a series of photos posted on Facebook, the facility had its share of issues long before the accident.

Brandi Duquette’s photo album shows loose brick work, cracked tiles, rusted support beams, and damaged and missing ceiling tiles. In one photo, purportedly taken nearly four months ago, a piece of the mall’s ceiling appears to have caved in, leaving a gaping hole over the concourse.

Many in Elliot Lake, a tight-knit community in Northern Ontario, have complained about the Algo Centre’s state of disrepair.

They say buckets had been used to catch dripping water around the 200,000-square-foot mall, while exposed rusted beams could be seen.

Two people have been confirmed dead after the roof of the shopping mall crashed through the two-floor building on Saturday afternoon. More than 20 others were injured.

National Post staff, with files from Armina Ligaya, The Canadian Press